ABSTRACT
In 1787 Jefferson had been in Paris three years, first as Commissioner, then as successor to Benjamin Franklin, and remained until 1789 as Minister of the new American republic. When he wrote to William Stephens Smith he had already been exposed to the spirit and fiery rhetoric of those soon to launch their own revolution. Barere certainly knew Jefferson since he also approvingly quotes Jefferson as endorsing the French Revolution.3 He may even have met Jefferson and borrowed the ‘tree of liberty’ phrase from him; possibly the phrase may already have been common currency among Paris’ would-be revolutionaries. It has been suggested to me that it was simply hyperbole, meant to emphasize Jefferson’s defense of Shays’ Rebellion4 against British propaganda which had characterized it as American anarchy, testimony to the unfitness of England’s former colonies to govern themselves.5 However, I have seen nothing to indicate that Jefferson did not mean what he said, because Shays’ Rebellion had already been put down, and he had enough time to reflect on its meaning and consequences.
